The Lebanese government will send a delegation to Washington next week for direct talks with Israeli officials aimed at ending the conflict and discussing the future of Hezbollah. Lebanese officials state Beirut intends for its presidency and state institutions to be the sole channels for any decisions, moving away from previous military-focused mechanisms. This initiative follows Israeli strikes that killed over 300 people in Beirut, intensifying calls for a state-led diplomatic path.
Beirut aims to move beyond military de-escalation frameworks, preferring a political channel led by President Joseph Aoun. They want to ensure Lebanon's future is not decided by agreements between Iran and the United States. Washington and Tehran announced a two-week ceasefire on Tuesday night; Iran and Pakistan both said this agreement included Lebanon. Israel, however, refused to acknowledge Lebanon's inclusion in that ceasefire. On Wednesday, Israeli forces launched more than 100 strikes on Beirut and other Lebanese areas within 10 minutes, resulting in over 300 fatalities, many of them children. This intense assault followed earlier cross-border rocket attacks by Hezbollah, which came after U.S.-Israeli strikes killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Following the extensive bombardment, international pressure and Iranian threats prompted Israel to scale back its attacks and agree to direct discussions with the Lebanese government in Washington. A senior Lebanese official indicated Beirut has no objection to being covered by the fragile Iran ceasefire if it halts the attacks immediately. Yet, once hostilities cease, the Lebanese state insists all subsequent negotiations with Israel must be conducted solely by official institutions. These talks would proceed under the political leadership of President Joseph Aoun. This emphasis on state-led diplomacy is crucial, according to the official, because Lebanon's leadership believes the next phase involves not just ending Israeli shelling but determining who negotiates the terms of the future: the Lebanese state or the regional powers whose conflict has again engulfed the nation. Notably, Hezbollah has rejected the framework for these talks; MP Ali Fayyad stated that any negotiation must occur only after a ceasefire, an Israeli withdrawal, and the return of displaced civilians. Several nations are working to ensure Lebanon is not overlooked as Iranian and American delegations travel to Islamabad for discussions aimed at ending their six-week conflict. A senior Egyptian diplomatic source told Middle East Eye that Egypt is actively pushing for Lebanon's inclusion in the ceasefire framework, engaging with Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Israel, and Washington. Iran, the source added, is unlikely to abandon its Lebanese allies to continued Israeli attacks, viewing the U.S. suggestion that Lebanon was not part of the original deal as a "betrayal to the whole framework."
Despite these international efforts, Lebanese officials and diplomats familiar with the developments suggest Prime Minister Salam and President Aoun face external pressure not to appear to benefit from Iran’s diplomatic successes against the U.S.-Israeli assault. Several countries, they observe, do not want Lebanon presented as an Iranian diplomatic achievement after Arab mediation failed to stop the conflict. For President Aoun, this involves not only foreign pressure but also a matter of sovereignty; the state aims to avoid appearing to align with Tehran, even while acknowledging its own limited leverage to secure a ceasefire independently. Lebanon's current leadership assumed office in early 2025, following an Israeli war on Lebanon sparked by the Gaza genocide, with a mandate to restore state authority and pursue reforms. However, it has operated under the strain of economic collapse and significant reconstruction needs. The International Monetary Fund stated in February that Lebanon’s modest recovery would remain fragile without deep reforms, and the renewed conflict has already displaced more than one million people, approximately a fifth of the population. This complex situation creates a double bind for the Lebanese government. Failure to secure a ceasefire before talks risks entering negotiations from a position of extreme weakness. Conversely, if Lebanon is too openly absorbed into Tehran’s terms, the state risks appearing less like a sovereign actor and more like an extension of Iran’s agenda. Prime Minister Salam is expected in Washington and New York in the coming days, seeking to frame any diplomatic progress as a Lebanese state achievement. Observers will watch closely to see if his administration can navigate these pressures to secure a ceasefire that protects the country and a political process that reinforces state authority without appearing to grant Tehran a symbolic victory.
